The Historic Muscoda Mile
The Muscoda Brewery in the latter 1800’s
The Muscoda Brewery history dates back to the 1850’s when Joseph Roggy built the first brewery along the Wisconsin River. The brewery buildings would be located just west of where the bridge crossings would be located. After the Civil War, John D. Pfleisterer purchased the brewery and operated it until 1867 when he took on as a partner by the name of Meyer.
With the purchase of the St. Charles Hotel, Pfleisterer would sell his portion ownership to John J. Postel. Postel would take on as a partner to replace Meyer, a gentleman by the name of Huppeler. Records show that in 1870 the brewery employed three men year round and they were producing 500 barrels of beer which was sold at $8 per barrel. Postel – Huppeler would make several improvements and in the next two years production increased by over 50% to over 800 barrels of beer per year.
In December of 1874, Huppeler would sell his shares to Postel, although is listed as an owner through 1884. A fire struck the building in May of 1877, yet the brewery was almost immediately re-built. Production had now nearly doubled to 1600 barrels. Records also show that at least once and possibly twice, Huppeler returned to the business, and finally, another fire in 1884 has Huppeler no longer listed as a partner. John Postel is listed as sole owner of the brewery from 1882 to 1886. Postel is documented as a good businessman, having acquired both home and property west of Wisconsin Avenue. The brewery had grown to then employ seven men during his tenure. It was said that Muscoda beer was shipped all over western Wisconsin.
Philip Geiser purchased the brewery late in the year 1886. Geiser possibly had financial and family issues which impacted his ownership. The Muscoda Brewery was taken over by a Milwaukee supplier, with William Lampe and Joseph Kaiser getting the mortgage to operate the business. Still another fire would take place, and again, more improvements were made as the brewery was rebuilt.
William Lampe would take over sole ownership of the Muscoda Brewery from 1898 to 1904 when George Lampe would be listed as owner for two more years. In the early 1900’s a bottling house was added to the business.
Finally, the Muscoda Brewery would be closed in 1907. It is said that the caves and caverns in the hills south of the railroad tracks in ‘Upper Town’ Muscoda were excellent for storing and cooling the beer that was produced along the river in “Lower Town’.
